Ax



March 25, 1930.., 1 M. WATSON 1,752,129

Filed May 25, 1929 l @3y/MQW dbtoz nu# Patented Mar. 25, 1930 PATENT OFFICE JOHN MnWATSON, OF SHELL, WYOMING Application mea may ze, ieee. serial matassa.'

rlhis invention relates to improvements in axes and has reference more particularly to an ax provided with a removable bit portion or cutting blade.

Hunters7 trappers and other people who spend a large amount of time in the Woods camping and which are. awa from settled communities often lind that tney are handicapped due to the fact that their azz becomes dull and as they as a rule have no means for sharpening an ordinary an, this often becomes a matteia oi' serious importance.

lt is the object of this invention to produce en which shall be so constructed that 'the bit portion theiv of is forme" replaced by another fore makes it possible tor considerable number of able to pro u himself wheneverthis com 1* am aware have been pa the inventor but my innen on is eted more p? i larly to a specific construction "vvhicl'i ma 'es it possible to employ removable blades c very simple shape and form which viates the necessity of having specially c structed blades and this makes it possible ror the owner of the an to manufacture his own blades, if necessary, and for a manufacturer to make and sell the blades at a much smaller price than if the blades havingspecial construction is employed.

Another object of this invention is to produce a handle which is made in several (parts and which can be readily separated so as to convert the ax into a hand ax suitable for use with one hand, or into an ordinary ax suitable for use with both hands, as occasion may require.

The above and other objects which may appear as the description proceeds are attained by means of a construction and an arrangement of parts that will now be described in detail, reference for this purpose being had to the accompanying drawing in which the preferred embodiment thereof has been illustinted, and in which:

Fig. l, is a side elevation of an ax constructed in accordance With my invention, portions thereof being broken away to better disclose the construction;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2 2, Fig. l; 5

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the ax head showing the cutting blade removed; and

Fig.. d is a perspective vievv of the blade.

.ln the drawing numeral l represents the arr head which is provided with an opening im for the reception of a handle This open ino or eye is located near t" -li -i 1 ne handle is n As before 'tivo partee one n by4 reference neuerer ided one end with entends into the open end o ber and the tvvo parts are then secured to each other by means of b'olt lL "When the ax is to be used as a hand an, the part 9 is removed but can readily be connected With the part 3 when the ax is to be used with the tivo hands.

The ax head l is provided at one end with a rabbet l2a the side Wall of which is provided with a number of studs 13 that are preferably formed integral with the ai; head. The plane of the side Wall of the rabbet is parallel with the longitudinal axial plane of the an head and the end Wall 14 preferably makes an obtuse angle with the side. The angle that the end wall makes with the side is slightly greater than ninety degrees, but the inclination does not need to be very large. This angle of inclination has been designated by Wf in Fig. 2. rlhe blade 15 is provided Wit n will a sharp cutting edge 16 and a plurality of openings 17. These openings are so located that they will receive the studs 13 when the blade is in place as shown in Il`ig. 2, and are 5 of substantially the same diameter as these studs. The studs should fit these holes very `closely but-care should be taken that the plate can be removed without any special tools. The distance from the center of the opening 17 to the rear'wall 18 of the cutting plate should be a trifle greater than the distance from the center of the studs to the nearest part of the end wall 14 so that the end 18 of the plate will fit closely against wall 14 15 when the plate is put in place. The plate 15 should be slightlyvthicker than the vheight of the lugs as shown in Fig. 2 so that the cover plate 19 will rest on the side of the plate 15 when the screws 20 are tightened, as by this 20 means the plate 15 will be securely clamped -against the side of the rabbet and will be rigidly held in position.

Owing to the fact that the cutting plate 15 'can be made from a piece of sheet steel, no special tools are required for making this p ateland therefore it can be very cheaply manufactured and it is even possible vfor a person provided with ordinary blacksmith tools, to construct a serviceable plate for this :zo ax.

I want to call particularv attention to the construction employing'the lugs and the removable plate 19 as by this construction,"it is possible to secure the blade 15 very rigidly to the head 1 and to simplify the construction of the blade asl above pointed out. l Having described the inventionv what is claimed as new is:

An ax comprising a head having a socket 40 for a handle, the bit end of'said head having a vrabhet adapted to receive a removable blade, the side wall of the rabbet having a plurality of spaced studs adapted to project into openings in the removable blade, said studs having axial lthreaded openings, a-

cover plate adapted to form acover for the open side of the rabbet and screws extending through the removable plate and into the threaded openings in the studs or holding the stud in place.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.'

JOHN M. WATSON. 

